A conventional fuel cell is provided with laminated separators to separate the gas chambers. Each gas chamber receives gas with activated regent to generate electric energy. Typically, a conventional fuel cell includes a plurality of gas chambers that are disposed in parallel in the laminating direction of the separators. It is thus necessary in conventional fuel cells to distribute gas uniformly to each gas chamber to efficiently generate electric power.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H08-124592 published on May 17, 1996 discloses a fuel cell that is designed to achieve improved gas distribution. As shown in FIG. 8, a separator 100 includes a gas flow passage 101 and a bridge 102. As illustrated in FIG. 9, the bridge 102 divides the gas flow passage 101 in an attempt to improve uniform gas distribution to the gas chambers.
Further, Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. H08-213044 published on Aug. 20, 1998 discloses providing a porous body in a gas flow passage nearby an end plate.
However, the aforementioned fuel cells still suffer from insufficient gas distribution because the gas density can vary in each of the gas chambers laminated in the laminating direction of the separators. As the number of laminations increases, variations in the gas distribution can become even more significant. Thus, in these conventional fuel cells, potential problems still exist with respect to the ability of each of the unit cells to uniformly generate electric power.
In light of the foregoing, a need exists for a fuel cell which is not susceptible to the same problems mentioned above.
It would be desirable in light of the aforementioned limitations associated with known fuel cells to provide a fuel cell which is able to distribute gas uniformly to each of the gas chambers.
It would also be desirable to provide a fuel cell having an increased number of laminated gas chambers that receive gas supply uniformly.